A Call to Honor Bette Hagman: Blog Event

Seamaiden is brilliant. Not only as a GF baking-whiz, but also as the genius behind this call to honor Bette Hagman.

As most you already know, word was spread through the Celiac listserv and Delphiforums that Bette was ill and then sadly, the following day, we received word that she had passed on.

Most of us in the gluten-free community have much to thank Bette for. I mentioned in my post that she was literally *the* source of information for my love and I about the gluten free diet in book form. Having been diagnosed seven years ago and having witnessed the amazing speed at which the eating-options have become available to me in local markets, etc, I cannot imagine what life was like for Bette when she was diagnosed in the early 1970s. Really. Good lord! Those of us who wonder now where to find things (my latest gripe: I cannot locate pure, unadulterate millet flakes) like rice flour, etc.

I know that where I grew up (Minnesota) and spent my summers (“Up North” aka Northern Minnesota) that the idea of shopping for rice flour would have been absurd. Thank god for those who have gone before us and opened the doors – and market aisles – to us and our eating. I can now shop for all of my needs there – and MORE. I know that in no small part these strides are made by all of us asking, begging, and pursuing grocery managers until they know us on sight. Gluten free, right? Yes, yes, YES!

Ah.. but I ramble and digress. I have obviously been struggling with the words to express my gratitude. Thankfully, where words fail, Seamaiden has stepped in with brilliance. She has a great idea for a Blogger-Event – BUT you don’t have to be a blogger to participate!

“I would like to propose over the next two weeks from August 20th to September 3rd that we all bake something from one of Bette Hagman’s cookbooks, and take a really beautiful photo of the baked good that we produce. I would like to think of each photo as a flower bouquet honoring Bette Hagman, and so include at least one beautiful flower (and possibly a flower bouquet) in the background of your photo or placed on the baked goodlike the photo I posted here.“